Article IV.

PAID PERSONNEL

A. The Minister

               Whenever a vacancy occurs, the Board of Trustees shall appoint a Pulpit Committee to seek a candidate for call to ministry.

               1. Rights

               The minister shall:

·        Be free to preach the truth in love as it is revealed to him through Scripture;

·        Receive a ministerial contract written by the Board of Trustees. The contract shall be ratified by two-thirds vote of the active membership present at the Annual or Special Congregational Meeting;

·        Be notified when the Board of Trustees meet in closed session and the reason the meeting is being held in closed session; and

·        Be a non-voting member of all boards and committees.

               2. Responsibilities

               The minister shall:

·        Oversee the spiritual life and programs of the Church in accordance with the constitution and bylaws;

·        Be responsible for the stated services of the Church;

·        Serve in an advisory capacity on all boards, committees and organizations;

·        Give support to all activities of the Church;

·        Visit the sick, the hospitalized, members and prospective members, counsel as needed, marry those who are prepared (in accordance with the Statement on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality which follows in the Appendix), conduct funeral services for active members and consider requests to conduct funeral services for non-members of the Church;

·        Conduct membership classes to inform candidates for membership concerning the government and policy of the Church, the expectations of membership and their opportunity for service;

·        Keep an accurate record of the membership in a permanent record book;

·        Submit a report at the Annual Congregational Meeting;

·        Participate in community activities as a representative of the Church, as appropriate; and

·        Give the Board of Trustees a three-month notice if he wishes to dissolve the relationship with the Church.

               Weddings performed by the minister shall be in keeping with the Biblical principle that marriage is a sacred union of one man and one woman and in accordance with the Statement on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality which follows in the Appendix.

               The minister's decision to perform or not perform a wedding is final.

B. The Custodian

               The Board of Trustees shall be responsible for the hiring and the supervision of the custodian on an annual contract basis.

               The custodian shall maintain the general cleanliness of the Church building.

C. The Choir Directors

               The Board of Trustees shall be responsible for the hiring and the supervision of the choir directors. The choir directors shall cooperate with the minister.

D. The Musicians

               The Board of Trustees shall be responsible for the hiring and the supervision of the musicians. The musicians shall cooperate with the minister and the choir director.

 

Article V.

COMMITTEES

Committees may be established upon approval of the Board of Trustees for carrying out the work of the Church.

A. Audit Committee

               The audit committee shall:

·        Consist of persons appointed by the president of the Board of Trustees;

·        Audit the books of each treasurer in the Church just prior to the Annual Congregational Meeting; and

·        Present a report of any findings discovered in the review of each Board’s, Committee’s, and Organization’s records. This report is to be included in the Annual Congregational Meeting Report.

B. Finance Committee

               The finance committee shall consist of the treasurer, the financial clerk and one member of the Board of Trustees appointed by the president of the Board who shall serve as chairperson.

               The chairperson shall appoint from the active Church membership such persons as he may desire to assist the committee.

               They shall submit an annual budget to the Board of Trustees, which shall in turn be submitted at the Annual Congregational Meeting for approval.

C. Historian

               The historian shall:

·        Be an active member of the Church and shall be elected each year for a term of one year;

·        Record the significant events in the life of the Church that occur throughout the year; and

·        Submit a report at the Annual Congregational Meeting.

D. Nominations Committee

               The nominations committee shall consist of the presidents of the various boards and organizations of the Church.

               The minister shall be the chairman.

               They shall elect a secretary and submit a ballot of nominees for all the officers to be elected at the Annual Congregational Meeting.

E. Pulpit Committee

               The pulpit committee shall consist of persons appointed by the Board of Trustees.

               They shall recruit and interview candidates to preach a trial sermon and arrange for an interview of the candidate with the Board of Trustees.

F. Sanctity of Life Committee

               The Sanctity of Life Committee shall:

·        Consist of active members of the First Community Church of Buckeye Lake who have a passion for human life of all ages, including the unborn;

·        Elect a president, vice president, a secretary and a treasurer;

·        Promote life honoring interests within the Church and the community; and

·        Submit a financial and program report at the Annual Congregational Meeting.

 

Article VI.

FELLOWSHIPS

               The Choir, Youth Fellowship, Women’s Ministry, Men’s Ministry, and any other fellowships approved by the Board of Trustees shall form their own constitution and bylaws and elect their own officers in conformity with the Constitution and Bylaws of the First Community Church of Buckeye Lake.

               Each of these fellowships are amenable to the Congregation and to the Board of Trustees. An annual report shall be submitted at the Annual Congregational Meeting by the president and treasurer of each fellowship.

 

 

 

Article VII.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

               This Constitution and Bylaws may be amended or changed only by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at the Annual or Special Congregational Meeting.

               An announcement shall be made on two successive Sundays in both Sunday School and Church services prior to the date of the meeting.

               This announcement shall include the nature of the proposed amendment or change.

 

Article VIII.

Appendix to the Constitution & Bylaws

A.      THEOLOGICAL POSITION AND STATEMENT OF FAITH

We, the members of the First Community Church of Buckeye Lake, believe that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary and is the visible image of God and that He is the fullest expression of God available to us.

 

Because Scripture calls on us to proclaim Christ everywhere we go and in whatever we do, we recognize that our Christian beliefs relate to every facet of our lives.  If we are to always proclaim Him, it is necessary that we maintain our Christian beliefs in all parts of our lives.

 

We believe that salvation through Jesus Christ is made available to everybody but is possible only through believing God’s plan of salvation, that Jesus Christ is the way and the truth and the life, and that nobody comes to the Father except through Jesus. It is necessary to repent of one’s sins and recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation is by the grace of God, through faith, and not by works of man.

 

We believe that the Bible is without error and is the Inspired Word of God. The Bible informs us that satan is a real presence in the world and that God has triumphed over him.  We accept the Bible teaching that God exists in three persons:  God the Father; God the Son; and God the Holy Spirit (the Trinity).

 

In accepting that the Holy Spirit is an active presence of God made known in spiritual gifts, we also accept the writings of Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 in which Paul addresses orderly Worship Services.  Our Worship Services are not characterized by speaking in tongues, and we believe that doing so in a public Worship setting would edify self rather than God, except as described by Paul in the above noted Scripture reference.  We believe, as recorded in Scripture, that spiritual gifts extend beyond speaking in tongues and prophecy, and include wisdom, discernment, teaching, etc.  We believe the Holy Spirit is capable of equipping all who do their part in seeking and accepting those gifts.

 

We believe that prayer can be as powerful or, conversely, as limited as people allow it to be.  Through prayer, it is possible to receive strength, comfort, healing, and guidance.  It is through prayer that we confess our sins before God and ask for His forgiveness, give Him praise and thanksgiving, and make our requests known.  God’s will is then made known to us in His own time.  In this way, God speaks to us personally and guides our daily lives.

 

In keeping with Scripture, we celebrate Communion in remembrance of Jesus until He comes again. Communion is served to all who have repented of their sins, believed God for their salvation, and recognize Jesus as Lord and Savior. We believe the Bible teaches that the unsaved (those who do not believe God for their salvation and are without a relationship with Jesus) should not participate in Communion, and that those with a relationship with Jesus should examine themselves before partaking in it.

 

Finally, we believe that baptism is an outward symbol of having experienced a rebirth in, and a commitment to Jesus Christ.  We believe that, as a symbol, the method of baptism is a matter of personal choice.  Since we do not have a baptismal in our Church, baptisms performed in the Church are done via sprinkling.  If an individual prefers to be immersed, he or she and the Minister would work out the details.  Infant baptisms are not performed, however infant dedications may be requested by parents willing to commit to raising their child in a Christian home and in the Church.

 

B. STATEMENT ON MARRIAGE, GENDER AND SEXUALITY 

We, the members of First Community Church of Buckeye Lake, Ohio, believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejection of one's biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that the term "marriage" has only one meaning: The uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; and Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of First Community Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a Biblical role model to the Church's members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by First Community Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of this Church.

 

C. STATEMENT ON THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE 

We, the members of First Community Church of Buckeye Lake, Ohio, believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Psalm 139).

 

D. STATEMENT OF FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTERS OF BELIEF AND CONDUCT 

The Theological Position and Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of the First Community Church of Buckeye Lake's faith, doctrine, practice, policy and discipline, our Minister, in conjunction with the Board of Elders, and the Board of Trustees, is the Church's final interpretive authority on the Bible's meaning and application.

 

E. STATEMENT ON CHURCH DISCIPLINE 

The threefold purpose of Church discipline is to glorify God by maintaining purity in the local Church (1 Corinthians 5:6), to edify believers by deterring sin and promoting purity (1 Timothy 5:20), and to promote the spiritual welfare of the offending believer by calling him or her to return to a Biblical standard of doctrine and conduct (Galatians 6:1).

The Lord Jesus Christ has entrusted the local Church with the authority and responsibility to discipline members for flagrant sin or serious doctrinal error, with the goal of the restoration of the offender. This discipline is entrusted to the Minister, the Board of Elders and other spiritually mature members of First Community Church of Buckeye Lake who may be selected to assist the Minister, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, and is to follow the Biblical pattern as set forth in Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 2:7-8; Galatians 6:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; Titus 3:10-11; and 2 John 7-11. Any member of this Church who practices or affirms a doctrine or conduct that, in the judgment of the Minister,  the Board of Elders and other spiritually mature members of First Community Church of Buckeye Lake who may be selected to assist the Minister, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, is opposed to the teaching of the Word of God, or is threatening to the testimony of this Church, or is divisive to the body, shall be subject to Church discipline.

Discipline will follow the stated Biblical pattern and is an effort to bring the individual to repentance and protect the Church from unrepentant sin. Discipline may involve exclusion from participation in ministry and communion, as well as dismissal from the fellowship of this Church. An individual may be disciplined by the Minister, the Board of Elders and other spiritually mature members of First Community Church of Buckeye Lake, who may be selected to assist the Minister,  in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, short of dismissal from the fellowship, as they deem appropriate for the specific circumstance (for example, an individual may remain in certain circumstances a member of this Church but be denied the privilege of serving in a particular ministry).  The Minister, the Board of Elders, and other spiritually mature members of First Community Church of Buckeye Lake who may be selected to assist the Minister, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, may report to the congregation the names of those who have lost membership by reason of Church discipline, and the reason for that discipline, as described in Matthew 18:15-20.

The members of this Church further knowingly and voluntarily agree that a member cannot voluntarily withdraw or resign his or her membership in the midst of the discipline process, and may only voluntarily withdraw or resign his or her membership if they are not the subject of a discipline proceeding at the time or only after a disciplinary process, of which they are the subject, has been concluded as determined by the Minister, the Board of Elders and other spiritually mature members of First Community Church of Buckeye Lake who may be selected to assist the Minister, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees.

 

F. STATEMENT ON MEDIATION 

Members of the Church agree to submit any legal dispute with the Church for mediation before a mutually agreed-upon, Christian mediator, or if none can be agreed upon, one selected by Peacemaker Ministries, or a similar Christian organization.  Lawsuits between believers, or threats of lawsuits between believers, are a matter of grave concern for the Church, and are contrary to Biblical and Church teaching. Mediation is an effort to resolve disputes in a Biblical fashion (1 Corinthians 6:1-7)